The Red Devils will now have a chance to go one better at Wembley and lift a first major women's honour, having lost to the Blues in last year's final
Two weeks ago, a quadruple was still on the cards for Emma Hayes in her final season in charge of Chelsea. Now, only two trophies remain on the table, the Blues defeated in last month's Continental Cup final before being beaten 2-1 on Sunday in the FA Cup semi-finals by Manchester United, who have a real chance of a first major honour as they prepare to face Tottenham at Wembley next month.
The Red Devils were the underdogs against the holders and reigning English champions, but they got off to a flying start when Lucia Garcia broke the deadlock inside the first minute. It was terrific work by Leah Galton down the left, who capitalised on Eve Perisset's error and put in a perfect cross for her team-mate to shock the Blues. Before Chelsea could create a real chance to equalise, it was two, Ella Toone getting the better of Melanie Leupolz before catching the opposition out with another fantastic delivery, this one converted by surprise starter Rachel Williams.
From there, Chelsea started to put United under real pressure. Erin Cuthbert saw a shot deflect just wide, Mary Earps made a flying save to thwart Lauren James and then the net rippled, James powerfully converting Niamh Charles' cut-back in first-half stoppage-time. That momentum continued after the break, James again bringing the best out of England team-mate Earps before Chelsea were left feeling aggrieved by a couple of penalty shouts that went ignored, first for a Katie Zelem handball and then a foul by Williams on Charles.
However, just as we looked poised for a grand finale, the chances seemed to dry up. Hayes threw on all of her attacking assets – Catarina Macario, Fran Kirby and Aggie Beever-Jones were among the five names introduced – yet it was almost too much, the XI on the pitch almost getting in each other's way in a gung-ho, going-for-it formation.
And so United, who could've even added a third, saw it out and will be returning to Wembley next month, a year on from their narrow 1-0 loss to Chelsea in last season's final. Hayes' Blues, meanwhile, need to pick themselves up and target glory in the Women's Super League and Champions League, after another trophy went begging.
GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Leigh Sports Village…
Getty ImagesLOSER: Emma Hayes
Hayes' time in charge of Chelsea has been truly remarkable. She's transformed this club from one that had never won a major trophy to the most dominant in English women's football, winning six WSL titles, five FA Cups and two League Cups. For her final season with the Blues to end without another flurry of trophies would be cruel, then. And yet, it could well end without any.
Sunday's defeat means only the WSL and the Champions League remain. Chelsea have never won the latter and will have to beat defending champions Barcelona to stand a chance of ending that wait – the Catalans arguably having the best team in women's football.
Even retaining the WSL looks extremely tricky. The Blues have been champions of England for four successive seasons, but are locked into a fierce battle with Manchester City to uphold that status, the Cityzens three points clear, having played a game more, with Chelsea having five matches remaining. It's going to be anything but easy to pick up one trophy then, never mind two, after United ensured their chances of a treble suffered the same fate as those quadruple hopes.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesWINNER: Marc Skinner
In a week which has seen United fans express their frustration at reports of head coach Marc Skinner being offered a new deal, the 41-year-old ensured the Red Devils will return to Wembley for a second successive season and with a massive chance of lifting a trophy.
Eyebrows were raised when his team was revealed, with Williams offered a rare start in a massive game, but it paid off as United thrived in picking up the flick-ons she contributed, while her headed goal for United's second was classic, brilliant centre-forward play.
Sometimes it has felt like United have gone into these big games without playing to their strengths, instead trying to go toe-to-toe with the established 'big three' and coming up short. On Sunday, they accepted they wouldn't have a lot of the ball, made the most of it when they did, and were clinical in a fantastic first half.
They rode their luck, but Skinner's game plan produced a monumental result, a first win over Chelsea and an FA Cup final which brightens up a season that, to this point, had been very disappointing. And he deserves credit for that.
LOSER: Eve Perisset
Perisset has been one of Chelsea's most impressive performers this season. She has probably flown under the radar a little bit, but she shouldn't have. She's been a rock at full-back, offered a lot going forward and is a reliable performer on set pieces.
Football is a brutal sport though and it was the France star who was at fault for United's opening goal on Sunday, failing to get enough on her pass as Galton pounced and delivered a cross for Garcia to break the deadlock.
"Eve Perisset has been outstanding for us," Hayes noted afterwards, "and the game can turn quite quickly." It shouldn't be forgotten what an excellent player she has been this season, but Sunday was tough for her, up against a real nuisance in Galton.
Getty ImagesWINNER: Rachel Williams
Williams might not have the star profile of some of United's players, but she was the match-winner on Sunday thanks to an excellent first-half header. Her aerial ability, tireless running and clever movement caused Chelsea plenty of problems in the opening stages, with her flick-on inside the first minute leading to the goal that broke the deadlock.
"If you were Chelsea and you were predicting our starting line-up, you wouldn't have put Rachel in from the start, right?" Skinner said. "We knew that would give us an edge from the off. Of course, it's an incredible moment to score so early and it settles the game, I get that. But what we wanted to do is give their back-four three real threats, and that's not just with the ball, it's without the ball. It's Rachel's flick, it's Leah being aggressive, and then Lucia crashing in the back zone."
Williams has been used very well as a super-sub during her time with the club, and here she was showing that she can play a role from the start in these huge matches too, the type of which she would rarely be in the XI for. She knows exactly what she is good at and she plays to maximise her abilities in an intelligent and effective way. It worked a treat in this game.